Oregon
Oregon man found guilty of 1980 murder of college student after gum provides DNA link
An Oregon man has been found guilty of murdering a college student in 1980 after he was linked to the case decades later by DNA genetic genealogy and chewing gum he discarded.
Robert Plympton, 60, was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder in the death of Barbara Mae Tucker, who was a 19-year-old student at Mt. Hood Community College when she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and beaten to death near campus four decades ago, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said Monday in a news release.
For years, no one knew who killed Tucker.
She was killed on Jan. 15, 1980, and her body was found the following morning in a wooded area between Kane Road and a school parking lot in Gresham, Oregon, by students arriving for class, the district attorney’s office said.
While her case was cold for years, investigators gave the case a fresh look with advances in DNA technology.
In 2000, DNA swabs taken during her autopsy were sent to the Oregon State Police Crime Lab for analysis, and a DNA profile was made from the swabs.
Then in 2021, a genealogist from Parabon Nanolabs identified Plympton as the likely “contributor to the unknown DNA profile developed in 2000,” the release said.
Police in Gresham found that Plympton was living in Troutdale and began to surveil him.
When they observed him spit out a piece of chewing gum onto the ground, detectives collected the gum and submitted it to the crime lab for analysis.
“The lab determined the DNA profile developed from the chewing gum matched the DNA profile developed” from Tucker’s 2000 DNA swabs, the district attorney’s office said.
Plympton was ultimately arrested on June 8, 2021. He had pleaded not guilty to charges of murder.
Multnomah County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kirsten Snowden previously said there was no evidence that Tucker and Plympton knew each other, The Oregonian reported.
Following a bench trial from Feb. 26 to March 15, Judge Amy Baggio found Plympton guilty of murder and “four counts of different theories of murder in the second degree,” the district attorney’s office announced.
Though the medical examiner determined Tucker had been sexually assaulted, Plympton was not convicted of rape or sexual abuse because prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt it happened while he was alive, the judge said, according to The Associated Press.
He remains in custody in Multnomah County with sentencing set for June 21.
NBC News has reached out to an attorney for Plympton for comment.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking Oregonians to be careful when disposing of yard debris this spring.
READ MORE | High pressure brings 48-hour warmup to western Oregon as temps near 90 Tuesday
“There have already been 23 escaped debris burns for a total of 83 acres reported on ODF-protected land in 2026,” the agency said.
The agency said that at this time last year, it had responded to 37 escaped burns.
“More than 70% of wildfires every year in Oregon are human-caused, with escaped debris burns topping the list,” ODF said. “With record-low snowpack and an abnormally warm winter, forecasters are anticipating a hotter and drier summer than usual.”
The Central Oregon District of ODF has already declared the start of fire season.
On May 14, fire restrictions will go into effect for all Bureau of Land Management lands in Oregon and Washington.
“We are increasingly concerned that 2026 could rival the most extreme years on record for heat and dryness in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jeff Fedrizzi, assistant chief of operations for the Pacific Northwest, U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “Every visitor must understand that even one small spark can lead to a costly and destructive fire in these high-impact conditions.”
Officials say the restrictions will help reduce the risk of human-caused fires. BLM officials say anyone who violates the prohibition could be fined up to $100,000 and/or face up to 12 months in prison.
More information on fire season is available on the ODF website.
The Bureau of Land Management website has additional information on fire restrictions and closures.
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 10 drawing
1PM: 8-2-8-4
4PM: 5-1-2-6
7PM: 1-5-9-6
10PM: 8-6-5-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon DMV issued a warning for drivers, saying scammers are still sending out fake text messages trying to steal money from people.
State DMV officials say it is part of a nationwide scam that’s been happening for nearly two years.
The fake text messages often come from international phone numbers or non-government email addresses.
In the messages, the scammers threaten to suspend car registration or driving privileges if a person doesn’t pay.
If you get this message, the DMV asks that you don’t click on any links or respond. Simply report it to the Federal Trade Commission or delete it.
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